UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Unmanned Aircraft Operations Team will celebrate the inaugural National Drone Safety Awareness Week, declared by the Federal Aviation Administration for Nov. 4-10, with a series of fun and educational events.
“Whether you’re a professional who routinely pilots an unmanned aerial vehicle, a hobbyist who flies for fun, or an aspiring pilot just interested in learning more, there will be something here for you,” said Jennifer Stewart, the University’s unmanned aircraft operations manager and compliance analyst.
National Drone Safety Awareness Week events will include:
- Monday, Nov. 4: A series of online “Lightning Talks” will be held via Zoom from 3 to 4:20 p.m. on topics including drone usage in police and public safety, agriculture, television production, as well as recreational usage and how to request to fly at Penn State. The Lightning Talks are open to Penn Staters at all campuses. Register online here.
- Tuesday, Nov. 5: An open house titled “Safety is (Y)Our Responsibility” will be held in 102 Kern Building at the University Park campus from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Attendees will enjoy light refreshments, meet the Unmanned Aircraft Operations team and the University’s standardization pilots who work with community members to prepare for on-campus flights, and learn about how to practice safe flying and how to request to fly on campus. The open house is free and open to the public, but prior registration is requested here.
- Wednesday, Nov, 6: The Unmanned Aircraft Operations team will feature a series of drone-related articles on their blog at sites.psu.edu/uasopsblog. If you’re interested in writing or submitting a drone-related article to be featured, email the Unmanned Aircraft Operations team at uas-orp@psu.edu.
- Thursday, Nov. 7: A drone-safety happy-hour titled, “Keep it Simple, Keep it Safe,” will be held at the Federal Tap House in downtown State College from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Join a group of drone enthusiasts for informal conversation on all things drone and unmanned aerial vehicle-related. Please note that attendees must be at least 21 years old in order to attend and purchase alcohol. RSVP online here.
Community members interested in learning more about unmanned aerial vehicles and the process for having a flight approved on University property can also visit the Unmanned Aircraft Operations website or read Penn State News’ guide to drone policies and regulations.
The Unmanned Aircraft Operations team can be reached directly at uas-orp@psu.edu or at 814-865-1775.